Boot or shoe.



No. 634,5885`. Patented Dot. I0, |899.

E. BUCHE.

'BOUT UR SHUE. (Application mnd Nov. 4, 1895.)

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UNITED STATES EDWARD ROCI-IE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BOOT OR SHOE.

EISBUAED SPECIFICATION flming part of Letters Patent No. 634,588, dated October 10, 1 899. Application iiled November 4,1895. Serial No. 567,831. (No model.)

To all wwmjlt may concer-r1,.-

Be it known thatvI, EDWARD-ROCHE, of

Providence, iu the 'county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boots and shoes, and has for its object to provide such a construction as will prevent and cure what is termed i'lat-footedness. y

A further object of my invention is to provide lsuch means in the construction of boots to relax, causing excruciating pains in the metatarsal bones, the pain extending to the upper portion of the latter.

Referring now to the drawings, forming a portion of this specification, in which like letters of reference indicate similar part-s in the several views, Figure l is a vertical section of a human foot having a shoe thereon oonstructed in accordance with my invention and showing the elements thereof in their proper positions. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the spring employed by me. Fig. 3 is a'perspective view of the bearing-plate for the spring.

Referring now to the drawings in operating in accordance with my invention, I arrange within ashoe c an inner sole e, which -is left loose from the back of the heel to the metatarsal bones, and I arrange n pon this inner sole and in such a position as to receive the ball of the foot a plate g, held immovably in place and curved to conform with Vthe shape of the insole, as shown. The said plate extends rearwardly a suicient distance to receive the movable upwardly-curved end f' of 'the spring-plate f, which latter is curved to conform to the arch of the foot and extends y rearwardly throughout the length of the shoe,

the rear end of this plate lying against the rear wall of the shoe, in which position it is held in place by means of a tack passing into the insole e or in any other desired manner. Thecurveot the spring f is such that under pressure of the foot in the operation of walking its free end f will have a movement on the face of the plate g and the spring action of the platewill extend beneath a portion of' the heel of the foot. By this construction, as will be readily seen, the plate f not only supL ports the arch of the foot and prevents dropping ot' the bones, but forms a yieldable support for a portion of the heel, thus absorb ing a large portion of the shock incident to walking.

As will be appreciated, the usual heavy sole a and the heel b are comprised by the shoe, and a second or false insole d is arranged upon the plates g and f to oder asmooth surface and a soft bearing for the foot.

Shoes made in accordance with my invention are preferably constructed as turned7 shoes, and when so constructed the sole is attached to the upper in the manner common to this class.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A boot or shoe providedwith a false in ner sole extending from the ball of the foot to the heel, an inner sole extending the length of the foot or shoe and having its heel and waist portion loose and a curved spring interposed between the false inner sole and the loose portion of the inner sole.

2. A boot or shoe provided with an inner sole'and a false inner sole, a bearing-plate secured to the'innersole toreceive pressure of the ball of the foot, 'and a curved spring secured to the heel between said soles and having its forward end resting loosely upon said bearing-plate.

In testimony whereof Ilhave signed myv name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of September, A. D. 1895.

EDWARD ROCHE.

litnesses:

JOHN DOREN, FRANK W. JOHNSON. 

